Clearance indicator



Oct. 2, 1951 R. L. KIRK 2,569,529

CLEARANCE INDICATOR Filed March 1, 1950 INVENTOR.

RALPH L. K| RK Patented Oct. 2, i951 U N I TiE D S TAT E S FATE T *OF 'F I C E CLEARANCE INDICATOR Ralph Levering Kirk, .Be'llevue, IPa. Application March 1, 1950,.S'erialNod 147,048

.Myrinvention consists 'in a new and improved :clearance indicator which is primarily intended to indicated the amount of clearance between a movable object, such for instance a motor vehicle, and an immovable object, such as a door :jamb, contact with which is tobe avoided.

Parking with modern motor vehicles in garages which have been built to accommodate older types of vehicles is usually a'hazardous undertaking owing to the increased overall width characterized by new cars on the market. Thus where -entrance tothe garage is'to'be made from a narrow alley, it is usually necessary to move the car back and forward-several times before it is properly centered to admit the car into the garage without contact with the door jambs or sides of the entrance opening.

Due to these and other hazards many drivers, especially women, are reluctant to "attempt to drive modern cars into garages designed for older types of cars,or' in'the small garages included .of a movable object to quickly and accurately determine the clearance, if any, which the one in control of the moving object, such as an automobile, may rely upon if he or she maintains his or her direction of travel, thus giving him or her prompt notice to halt and alter his or her path of travel to avoid damages either to the vehicle or some stationary object.

For instance, a truck may be driven or backed into a storehouse either to load or unload goods, and care must be taken to prevent the vehicle from colliding with portions of the building or stacks of goods. The use of my invention will fully protect the movement of the truck from resulting in an accident.

Other objects and advantages appear in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawing shows, for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention or claims thereto, certain practical embodiments of the invention wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of my clearance indicator;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the operation of the same applied to the jamb of a garage door.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification of the same;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 4.

4 Claims. (Cl. 116-28) Fig. 6' illustrates in elevation .the rear of a vehicle properlylintroduced into .atgarage and centered :between two opposing proximity.indi- -cators;'

Fig. '7-is a aside elevationshowing a third type of construction, .and

Fig. 8 atop plan view of the same.

Referring first to :Figsl. and 3. of the drawings, 4.0 rindieates'one of-.thewdoor jambs of a garage or-a stationary object with which contact is to 'be avoided, and to the-exposed face of which .is removably attached, -.as .by: screws 1 i a bar .or narrow plat 12, preferably vertically disposed. Secured at their inner ends, as byscrews vlt are a :plurality .of vertically spaced .apart :helical springs 14 which support, in horizontal spaced relation:fromthetbar-i 2,-the tubular bumper. bar 15 which is vertically-disposed and is held in parallelism with the bar :I2 Joy the helical spring which, when not deflected-by.contact withiapor .tion of .the vehicle, :resiliently retain the bumper bar I 5 centered winespaced relation from the door jamb Ill. V

' The outer extremities of rthe helical springs 14 are securely =-fastened to the outside of the tubular bumper bar lii by welding, clamping or other suitable means.

I! indicates soft rubber sleeves which encompass the portions of the bumper bar l5 between and at the ends of the attachment of the helical springs to prevent marring the finish of the car body.

I8 indicates a'rod or bar of wood or similar material inserted into the lower end of the tubular bar [5, to extend the same to a point adjacent to the floor of the garage so that the proximity of a low obstruction may be indicated.

In Fig. 6 I illustrate an automobile accurately centered between two of my proximity indicators fixed to the opposite door jambs.

l9 indicates a semaphore rod having its end inserted in and supported by the upper bore of the tubular bumper rod [5. The semaphore rod is bent to extend outwardly away from the door iamb as shown at loop 20 and mounted on its free end is a semaphore plate shown at 2| which is located preferably at a level with the center of the front windows of the car as it moves into the garage.

As the car moves inwardly into the garage the semaphores at each side are in full view of the person driving the car. If the semaphore at the left of the driver does not move, the driver will be assured that he is in no danger of colliding with the door jamb on that side of the car. A glance toward the right hand of the driver will inform him if he clears the indicator at the opposite side of the car. If the semaphore swings inwardly, that is towards the rear end of the garage into the position A in Fig. 3, the driver will know that the corresponding side of the car has engaged the bumper bar, indicating that the car is slightly out of proper alignment, but by a slight movement of the front wheels he may safely proceed. If, however, the semaphore is swung to position B in Fig. 6, warning is given that the car must be backed up to straighten out its forward line of movement.

In backing the car out of the garage, if the semaphore is swung into position C the driver is warned that he may be able to safely move the car with caution. If, however, the semaphore is swung to position D. then the driver should move his car inwardly of the garage and straighten his line of movement. In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a plate of soft live rubber 22 substituted for the helical springs M, the left edge in Fig. 4 of the rubber plate being provided with a dovetail portion23 which may be attached to the door jamb In by being stepped down into the corresponding shaped slot '24 cut in the door plate l2. The right outer vertical edge of the rubber plate 22 is formed around a tubular bumper bar l5 which receives the semaphore rod I9 and the lower'extension H3. The rubber plate 22 when thrust aside by contact with a portion of the vehicle, when released, automatically returns to its position of rest at right angles to the jamb.

In Figs. '7 and 8 I show the substitution of a wooden plate 25 for the helical springs ll of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and for the rubber plate 22 of Figs. 4 and 5, said plate being hinged at the edge as at 26 to the plate l2 and is urged into a position rectangular to the door jamb by the helical springs I! attached to the opposite side of the plate 25 and to the base plate l2 at spaced points.

The outer edge of the plate 25 is provided with a rubber tubular portion 28 to receive the lower extension l8 and the semaphore rod I9.

I claim:

1. A motor vehicle stall parking indicator comprising a base adapted to be mounted on the side of the stall in which the motor vehicle is to be parked, a vehicle engaging member having greater length than width, flexible arm means carried by said base to support and retain the vehicle engaging member with its longitudinal axis vertical and just out of reach from a vehicle traveling in the proper path into the stall but will permit the vehicle engaging member to swing in a horizontal arcuate path if struck by the vehicle, a target, and means to mount the target on said vehicle engaging means.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said target supporting means displaces the target outwardly of the vehicle engaging means to swing it in a greater horizontal arc than the vehicle engaging means.

3. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said vehicle engaging means extends from a position near the top of a vehicle to adjacent the floor of the stall.

i. In means for indicating the occurrence 0 misaligned travel of a moving vehicle relation to a stationary obstruction, such for instance as the side wall or door jamb of a garage, the combination of a member pivotally supported on a vertical axis on the stationary obstruction and when at rest protruding into such path of misaligned movement to be deflected by the side portion of the vehicle if said path be persisted in, and spring means for automatically returning'said memberto its position of rest when the engagement between the vehicle and said member ceases.

RALPH LEVERING KIRK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,981,188 Pavitt Nov. 20, 1934 2,183,438 Zaiger Dec. 12, 1939 2,211,182 Tibbetts Aug. 13, 1940 2,296,311 Schneider Sept. 22, 1942 

